my biggest problem in knowing and dating her in those early years was my belief that every man who met her would become as deliriously struck by her presence as i had been. while she claims this was not her life, i've seen and heard enough examples to the contrary that i only half believe her. all i can claim first hand is meeting marty forever decimated my long-term interest in every other woman i would ever encounter.

and let's be clear, it's just not the classic or royal beauty that left me not only wordless but also thoughtless (full stupefaction) when i first took in her image on an unsuspecting 1988 evening. but it is more accurately the verve in that countenance, the vigor in those eyes, the bounce of the hair. it was anything. it was everything. but if i were to say it wasn't mostly the curl of that upper lip when she smiled that smile, i'd be lying to you, fully.

on saturday marty and i celebrated seventeen years of marriage (and 25 years together). the day before our anniversary, marty had the following conversation with a co-worker.

CO-WORKER
so. do you have any big plans for the weekend?

MARTY
no. just the usual. oh! wait. it's troy and i's anniversary. so we're going to go out for dinner.

CO-WORKER
oh. how long have you been married?

MARTY
seventeen years. but we've been together for twenty five.

CO-WORKER
twenty-five! that definitely beats my three.

MARTY
yeah. imagine that. i've been kissing on the same guy for twenty three years. that's crazy.

CO-WORKER
uh. twenty three-years. don't you mean twenty-five?

MARTY
oh. yeah. well there were a couple of years at the beginning that we might have still played the field a little. you know how that goes.